Aeroplane control stick



July 15, 1930. H. E. OEHLKE 1,770,423

AEROPLANE CONTROL STICK Filed Oct. 10, 1928 efrrvefih;

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Patented July, 15, 1930 ,nENnYnwALDo Hn or 'MANIsrEn'fivricHIeAn' i AEROPILANEQCONTROL' STICK l This invention relates to aeroplane sticks and more particularly to an aeroplane stick especially-adapted for dual control systems wherein the control mechanism is operable by either the students control stick or the instructors control stick. y n v V l- One object of the invention is to provide a control stick'of simple construction that may be easily and effectively disconnected from the'aeroplane control system. I V

' Another object isto provide a pair of con- 7 trolsticks constructed to permitthestudents arable parts normally urged apart but held mechanism.

and the instructors controlstick to be easily interchanged with respect to the control: Another; obiect is the provision of .la' students control stick comprising a pair'of septogether by latchmechanism releasable from the instr-uctorls'station. v 1

Otherv objects will appear as. thefdescrip tion proceeds. c In the.drawings "Fig. 1 is an elevational view illustrating myinvention asfapplied to an aeroplane control system;

Fig. 2 is a, sectional viewvshowing details of construction of onset] the control sticks Fig.3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 ofFig.2. v

j Referring to Fig. 1", the numerals-1 and'2 designate as a whole, a pair of control sticks positioned for operation fromjthe stations 10 and 11, "one ofwhich may be occupied by the I student and the otherbytheinstructor. It sometimes-happens that the student becomes frightenedand holds on to his control stick with such force'that the instructor is unable to manipulate his control stick and to avoid this difliculty, I have provided means forinas he ele ator wires,'ia re' designatedby: the numerals S. and9, respectively. a

' -A'f 'ocket member iais adapted 01 an:

tion" with the aeroplane control system prefer'ably through an integral hollowv tubular part 14 fitting into either of the tubular members 3 or 4 and secured thereto by means'of the pin-17 as shown in Fig. 2. :The numeral 22 designates the control handle or the handle portion of the control stickand :has secured thereto the conicalesocket member 12tofit into the conical socket member 13.

' A coil spr'ing15 has arin portion an chored'to the pin17 within the tubular part a 14 of the'socke't member 13 and in itsnormal member 13. V

" In the assembly oii thejcontrol stick; the

expanded position ektendsinto thev I socket ineinber-1-2is inserted intothesocket member 13 against thepressure ofthe' spring 1,5. In order to holdjthesocket members 12 and 13 rigidly together againstthe force of the spring 15;1I provide a readily releasable latch mechanism operable from the "instructors station to; instantly disconnectthe students' control handle comprisingthe parts 12 and 22 from the'me1nber13 attached to, the e 5 control mechanism A simple; 'co'nvenient a and inexpensive mechanism forthis purpose may comprise a split pin'inserted'through aligned holes in; the cooperating socket mem: bers 12afid 13 with a wire or cordl connected tothe ring part 2101? the split pin'and directedinto the instructorsstation.v A split pin is found to be mor'e'advantageous for this purpose than a solid pinbecauseiit takes'up whatever playinay be caused by the holes in the socket members, as "the holes 'must,' for convenient operation, be somewhat larger than thepin; I v I I r .1

" The handles 22 may, as shown in Fig. 2, be detachablyfconnected with the socket member 12 byrneans of a set'screw 25 so that difierent v style-handles may be used However, the handle portion12 2may be rigidly secured'to or integral with the socket member 12 and I desire 'ittobe understood that the handle or handle portion of the control stick includes hwar s nd- '2 as u a e. a 'Tb inoreelearly comprehendthe mode of trol stick 1 will extend back to the instruc tors station 11, convenient to the instructor. In case the student gets confused or frightened at a critical time, the instructor simply gives the cord a quick jerk, withdrawing the split lock pin, and the socket member 12 with the students handle, is forced out of its socket member 13 by the spring 15, instantly disconnecting the students handle from the control mechanism and permitting operation thereof by the instructors control stick. The control sticks 1 and 2 may be of identical construction and if the student occupies the station 11 instead of the station 10, the cord 23 for the control stick 1 will be placed in an out of the way position and the instructor will, in case of danger, jerk the string23 leading back to the students control stick 2. If desired, only the control stick for the students use may be constructed as shown in Fig. 2, in which case the students and instructors control sticks may be interchanged when the position of the student and instructor is reversed. The instructors control stick may then simply have a socket portion adapted .to be locked to either of the socket members 13 without the interposition of the spring 15.

' It is also apparent that the female socket member and spring may be carried by the handle portion and the male socket portion connected with the control mechanism.

Obviously those skilled in the art may' make various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore do not Wish to be restricted to the precise constructon herein disclosed.

I claim 7 y 1. An aeroplane control stick comprising in combination, a handle portion, a member adapted for connection with an aeroplane nism detachably connecting said handle portion and member together against the force of said spring.

3. An aeroplane control stick comprising in combination, a handle portion, a member adapted for connection with an aeroplane control system having a socket receiving said handle portion, a spring tending to force said handle portion and member apart and outof operative relation with each other, and releasable latch mechanism detachably connecting said handle portion and member together against the force of said spring.

4. An aeroplane control stick comprising in combination, a handle portion, a member having a socket for receiving said handle portion and a tubular part adapted to be received within a tubular part of'an aeroplane control system, a spring within said tubular part tending to. separate said handle portion and member, and releasable latchmechanism connecting said handle portion and member together against the force of said spring.

5. An aeroplane control stick comprising in combination, a handle portion, a member adapted for connection With an aeroplane control system having a socket for receiving said handle portion,a spring tending to force said handle portion and member apart, and a releasable pin extending through said handle portion and member to hold said handle portion and member together against the action of said spring. I

6. An aeroplane control stick comprising a pair of separable members, one of said members constituting a handle portion and the other of said members being adapted for attachment to an aeroplane control system, a socket on one of said members-receiving the other of said members, resilient means forcing said members apart and out of operative relation with each other, and a releasable latch mechanism holding said members together against the force of said resilient means.

7. An aeroplane control stick comprising in combination a socket having a tubular portion adapted for connection with an aeroplane control system, a handle portion fitting into said socket, a spring within said tubular portion anchored thereto and bearing against said handle portion, and a releasable latch means holding said handle portion into said socket against the force of said spring.

8. In an aeroplane control system, a students control handle, an instructors station andcontrol handle, control mechanism operable by each of said handles, resilient means tending to force said students handle out of operative engagement with said control mechanism, latch mechanism detachably connecting said students handle with said control mechanism against the force of said resilient means, and releasing means for said latch mechanism operable from said instructors-station. i J

9. In an aeroplane control system, a students control handle, an instructors station and control handle, control mechanism operable by each of said handles, co-operating members connecting said students handle to said control mechanism, an expansible means forcing said members apart, releasable-latch mechanism holding said members together against the force of said expansible means, and means connected ithgsaid latch mecha nism operable from said instructors station to release said-latch mechanism.

10. In an aeroplane control system, a stu- V and control handle, control mechanismopen able by each of said handles, attaching members carried by said mechanism for said handles, co-operating members on each of said handles adapted to be connected With either of said attaching members, means tending to force one of said attaching members into inoperative relationqwith its cooperating member, latch mechanism holding said last named attachingimember and cooperating member together against the force of said means, and releasing means for said latch mechanism operable from said instrnc- 5 tors station.

12. In an aeroplane control system, astu dents control handle, an instructors station and control handle, control mechanism operable by each of said'handles, co-operating In an aeroplane controlsystem, a stu-ct dents control handle, an instructors statlon 14. In an aircraft, a system for controlling I I movement thereof and including first and second control stations, a controller. element operatively connected to. the system and lo catedin the first station, asocket operatively connected to the system and located in the second station, spring means disposed in-the socket, asecond controller element-located in the socket, means for retaining the second controller element in such posit on wlthin the socket as to retain'the springmeans under compression, and means operative from the first control station for releasing said retaining means, whereby the second controller element is forcibly ejected from the system., i

15. An aeroplane control stick comprisingv in combination, a socket member having a tubular portion adapted for attachment to an aeroplane control system, a coil spring anchored Within said tubular portion and expansible into said socket member, a handle portion having a part fitting into said socket .member, and a releasable means extending through saidsocket member and into said handle portion for holding said socket and handle portion together against the force of said spring.

In testimony October, A. D. 1928. 7 V V HENRY EWALD' a socket members connecting said students handle to said control mechanism, a spring forcing said socket members apart, a pin holding said socket members together against the force of said spring, and means comprising a flexible element connected withv said pin extending into said instructors station for Withdrawing said pin.

13. An aeroplane control stick comprising in combination, a conical socket member having a tubular portion adapted for attachment to an aeroplane control system, a coil spring anchored Within said tubular portion and expansible into said socket member, a handle portion having a conical part fitting into said socket member, and a releasable pin extending through said socketmember and handle portion for holding said socket and handle portion together against the force of said spring.

whereof I have signed my I name to this spfecificationon this 4th day ofv 

